7  How to Spend More Time in the Green Zone

Recap

  • We all have thoughts, feelings, behaviours and body sensations.
  • Thoughts, feelings, behaviours and body sensations change when we enter different zones (green, amber or red).
  • Everyone has a different awareness of their thoughts, feelings, behaviours and body sensations. Some people might notice them more and other people might not notice them at all.
  • Practising noticing them is an important part of your recovery, so that you can learn what to do to reduce your symptoms.

The Green Zone

The green zone is where you want to spend most of your time. This can be achieved by reducing the amount of time you spend in the amber and red zones, since this is where functional neurological symptoms happen.

You can imagine being in the green zone like a seesaw:

The green zone is balanced and steady when you are not experiencing stress, or you are managing it well. If you experience stress and you’re not managing this well, the seesaw becomes unbalanced and unsteady. This can tip you into the amber or red zone, making you more likely to experience functional neurological symptoms.

Reducing the threats that are sending you into the amber and red zones is easier said than done (we will look at this in module 8 onwards). The easiest way to reduce your functional neurological symptoms is to spend as much time as possible doing green zone activities.

Psychological therapy teaches you skills and strategies that you can practise in your everyday life to help you stay in or get back down to the green zone. Being in the green zone will help you get unstuck. Remember the green zone diagram of thoughts, feelings, behaviours and body sensations you read about in module 5 and 6. This picture shows the types of thoughts, feelings, behaviours and body sensations you can experience in the green zone:

Psychological therapy teaches you skills that help in each of these areas. Here are some examples:

  • Thoughts ➡️ engaging in therapy
  • Feelings ➡️ learning to be in the present moment / breathing exercises
  • Body sensations ➡️ relaxation techniques
  • Behaviours ➡️ looking at lifestyle choices

There are also everyday activities that you can do to keep yourself in the green zone. These vary between people but can include activities such as:

  • Listening to music
  • Reading
  • Exercising
  • Spending time in nature

Do you do any of the activities listed above? Make a note of any green zone activities that you currently do and any others that you’d like to add to the list. Green zone activities help you to have thoughts, feelings, behaviours and body sensations like the picture above.

The activities that are suggested in the modules to come are an invitation only, meaning that you do not have to try all of them. We recommend that you try the activities that you feel comfortable doing. You might find that some work better than others for you. It is normal to get distracted when trying new activities and it might take some practice to get used to doing them.

If you have any symptoms or physical conditions that might prevent you from trying any of the activities, get in touch with your GP to talk about this first.

Do not do any activities that you think might make your symptoms worse.

Knowledge Check

Questions
  1. If your green zone seesaw becomes unsteady and unbalanced, you can tip into the amber or red zones. TRUE or FALSE?
  2. Psychological therapy can’t help people with functional neurological disorder. TRUE or FALSE?
  3. Everyday activities can help to keep you in the green zone. TRUE or FALSE?

  1. If your green zone seesaw becomes unsteady and unbalanced, you can tip into the amber or red zones. TRUE or FALSE?

    TRUE, your seesaw in the green zone is steady and balanced. Threats can unbalance the seesaw and tip you into the amber or red zones, meaning you are at more risk of functional neurological symptoms. Reducing threats and trying green zone activities can help to keep the seesaw balanced and steady, and out of the amber and red zones.

  2. Psychological therapy can’t help people with functional neurological disorder. TRUE or FALSE?

    FALSE, psychological therapy will teach you how to manage threats and how to start doing green zone activities.

  3. Everyday activities can help to keep you in the green zone. TRUE or FALSE?

    TRUE, there are lots of different green zone activities that you can do every day. Choosing ones which suit you will help you to stay in the green zone and therefore have less functional neurological symptoms.